Edward warwick



B; WARWICK. SADDLE FOR VELOUIPEDES.-

Patented Oct. 24, 1893.

L O M //V vs fox lV/rzvssses NITED STATES EDWARD WARWICK, OF

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

SADDLE FOR VELOCIPEDES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,514, dated October 24, 1893.

Application filed November 18, 1892. Serial No. 452,443. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD WARWICK, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Saddles for Velocipedes, of which the following is a specifica' cation.

The object of this invention is to generally improve the construction of velocipede saddlles, more especially saddles for safety bicy- 0 es. 7

The invention consists in various constructions and combinations of parts for the attainment of advantages, all substantially as will hereinafter more fully appear and be set forth in the claims.

Referenceis to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a side elevation and partial section of myimproved saddle. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the under side of the saddle. Fig. 3 is a vertical section transversely of the under supporting part for the saddle taken on line, 33, Fig. 1. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are perspective views of details of construction to be hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings, A represents the saddleframe and B the saddle-post on which the frame is mounted.

The saddle-post and the saddle-frame are both preferably constructed of tubing to the end of attaining lightness, and the said parts, as here shown, are thus constructed.

The saddle-frame, A, consists of a pair of tubes, a, a, which range forwardly and rearwardly, being separated and are united by cross members or rigid tie-pieces, b, and c, and all constituting a light openwork frame of a suitable form for being supported on the saddle-post, B, and for maintaining the front and rear spring or cushion supports, 0, D, for the leather or seat proper, E. V

The saddle-post, B, consists of a vertical tube with another tube, (1, which is at or about right angles thereto, and ranging fore and aft, rigidly connected atits upper end by brazing or by confining clips or otherwise, as deemed practicable. The wall of the vertical tube is thickened at its lower portion the thickness tapering upwardly as shown in Fig. 1, so that when the saddle is adjusted.

upward, the increased leverage on the post B will be correspondingly resisted by the thickened stock. It will, of course, be understood that for tall riders the saddle-post B, is more or less raised within the tubular upright of the frame and the leverage strain exerted by the swaying tendency of the saddle comes upon the saddle-post B, at the place surrounded by the upper end of the supporting upright of the frame.

When the saddle is set low the leverage is small and the comparatively thin stock at the upper end suffices, but for a greater leverage on raising the saddle, the gradually thickening of the tubular post B, efficiently serves, and all without unnecessarily increased weight. The said substantially horizontal tube, d, is open from end to end and has in its under side a longitudinal slot, e.

The saddle-frame, A, has a transverse clip or block, F, through which the said frame. members, a,a,, are passed and brazcd,or with which block said members are rigidly united; and for the engagement of the saddle-frame by its said portion, F, with the horizontal tubular member, d, of the saddle-post, the

screw, f, passes with a screw engagement through the under central portion of the said clip, F, and through the said slot, e, and against the upper wall of the said horizontal tube, d. It will be seen that this upper tube I portion borne upon by the said confining screw, f, although comparatively thin is reinforced by the upper central portion of the clip, F. The saddle-frame is held againstany rotary movement about the tubular arm, cl, of the saddle-post by the engagement of the screw, f, with the opposite edges of said slot, c. This form of engagement of the sad dle-frame clip, F, with the slotted tubular arm, D, possesses advantages which would not be attained were the screw, f, to pass, as heretofore, through the wall of the bored saddleframe clip to a bearing against the side of a solid saddle-post arm, for that form of construction, in addition to its weight, would permit of the accidental loosening of the confining screw, the sidewise swinging of the saddle. Here, in addition to the considerable avoidance of weight, the sidewise swinging of the saddle will be prevented, even in the event of the loosening of the screw, f. And

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of course the longitudinal adjustment of the saddle-frame upon the saddle-post arm may be most easily accomplished.

The forward support for the seat, E, comprises, as a part thereof, a cushion, g, which is mounted on an adjustable member which is provided therefor as followsz-The saddleframe has, at its forward extremity, the op posing transversely extended hubs, t', i, the horizontal axial bores of which are in alignment and the inwardly facing ends of which are serrated or ratcheted, as seen at '5 j represents a sleeve-like part having a laterallyextcnded lug,or member, h, which is verticallysocketed,thesaid part, j, having its ends also serrated or ratcheted as indicated at 9' The said sleeve, j, is held clamped-between the hubbed parts by the bolt, j, and confining nut therefor,and capable of a rocking motion only on unloosening the nut to sufficiently permit the spreading apartof the tubes, or, a. The post or spindle, It, is held in engagement in the socket-lug and may be held in adjusted vertical positions by the set-screw, 7c. The said spindle has, formed on or attached to its upper end, a cup or trough shaped shell or holder, m, with a series of notches or holes, 8-8, at different points around its surface from front to rear. The cushion, g, is formed of a block of elastic india-rubber, gutta-percha, or the like, which has asemi-cylindrical lower portion, which fits in said shell, m, being retained by the inwardly extended flanges, or teats, 9, which penetrate a portion of the cushion which extends above the cup, and which cushion is inclined upwardly and rear- Wardly, and is hollowed out at its rear upper portion whereby it has an overhanging supporting part and the elastic flexibility be comes increased. The forward portion of the saddle is provided with the metallic strips, 9t, 7%, having the angularly projected studs, 10, which engage the said holes, 8, in the cushion-receiving cup, g.

The connection between the rear end of the saddle and the rear metallic saddle support, D, is made by a non-metallic link or band, (1. The rear spring seat support consists of the section or length of heavy spring wire having an intermediate section, 15, the portions toward the terminals being angularly bent as at 16, and thence formed into the coils, 17, 17, terminating in the legs, 18, 18, which pass through or into sockets therefor in the rear part of the saddle-frame. The said band, q, may be formed of textile material or a combination of textile material and rubber and the same is caused to engage the intermediate section, 15, of the spring support, D, and the part of the spring constituted cantle, G, which traverses the said recess, 19, in the rear of the seat.

The seat leather may be put under the desired tension by rocking the socketed holder for the spindle, 7t, forward or rearward. The place of engagement of the forward extremity of the leather may be changed by removing the studs, 10, from certain of the series of holes, 8, entering them into otherofthe holes.

It will be seen that the forward support of the seat leather, E, is had upon the cushion, g, at aforward upper portion thereof at about the point indicated by 00, and thus both the forward and rear supports for the said seat leather are directly had upon non-metallic substances which have much less capability for transmitting vibration up to the seat than would metallic spring supports on which the seat might be directly mounted.

The saddle, as hereshown has at its rear, in lieu of the usual metallic-U -formed cantle, an equipment which, while rendering the rear of the saddle of snflicient stiffness and rigidity, also imparts thereto capabilities of ilexure and retraction at the rear lateral portions. The leather, E, is downwardly and inwardly turned to form a loop at the rear under side thereof and is secured by rivets, 12, or otherwise, and there is located. within the said loop traversing the entire rear end portion of the saddle a closely wound spiralspring, G, of comparatively heavy wire. This spiral-spring form of cantle has normally a reaction to remain in the plane or position correspondingto the form into which the rear end of the saddle is molded or shaped, but the cantle is with the rear lateral portion of the saddle capable of a downward deflection under the weight of the rider which permits the saddle to accommodate itself more comfortably to the person. On being relieved of the weight of the rider the spring, G, will restore the parts of the saddle, which had been depressed or caused to yield under the pressure exerted, to their original positions.

It will be noted on reference to Fig. 2, particularly, that the saddle-leatheris at its rear central parts recessed, as indicated at p, the spring, G, traversing the said recess, and the connection between the rear end of the saddle and the rear metallic saddle-support which is made by the aforesaid link-band, q, is accommodated by the said recess so that the forward portion of the band may engage the portion of the cantle-spring which traverses the recess.

1 claim 1. In a velocipede-saddle a saddle-post or support having at its upper portion a substantially horizontal arm which is formed tubular and provided with an opening through its wall in combination with a seat-supporting frame having a block or member mounted to slide on said tubular arm and a screw which passes through a part of said block and through the said opening and having a bearing against the inner wall of said arm, substantially as described.

2. In a velocipede-saddle, a saddle-post or support having at its upper portion a substantially horizontal arm which is formed tubular and provided in its side with a longitudinally extending slot, in combination with a seatsupporting frame having an apertured clip IOC which is fitted to slide upon said arm and the set-screw, f, which passes with the screw engagement through the clip and said slot to a bearing against the inner wall of said tube, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a velocipede-saddle, a saddle-post having at its upper end the horizontal tubular arm with the longitudinal slot, e, in com bination with a seat-supporting frame comprising parallel separated tubular members, a, a, transversely united and the clip or slide-block, F, apertured to fit said members, a, a, and also said tube,and the screw, 1, passed through the clip, said slot and against the inner wall of the said tubular arm, substantially as described and shown.

4. In a velocipede-saddle seat supports for the saddle and a saddle-post on which the same is supported which is formed of a tube having the wall thereof thicker at the bottom and upwardly tapered, substantially as and for the purpose described.

. 5. The combination with a saddle-frame, and a metallic holder supported thereby, of a block or elastic rubber, g,supported by said holder and havingits surface above the holder inclined upwardly and rearwardly and hollowed out at its rear upper portion, whereby it has an overhanging upper supporting part, and the seat-leather, substantially as and .for the purpose described.

6. The combination with a saddle-frame and the vertical spindle, is, supported thereby and carrying the metallic holder,-m, which has the perforations, 8, 8, of the cushion of elastic rubber, g, supported in said holder and having a portion which is projected upwardly thereabove and the seat, E, having the portion toward its forward extremity bearing directly on said cushion, and having its forward extremity in advance of said place of bearing downwardly extended and provided with the studs for engaging said perforations, substantially as described.

7. In a velocipede saddle, in combination, a saddle-frame having forward and rearward upwardly extended seat-supportin g members, one thereof being longitudinally adjustable on the frame, and one of said supports having at its upper extremity a member with a rounded under side, provided with perforations 8, 8, the cushion g supported by and extended above said member, and the seat havinga portion thereof near its forward end supported by the cushion and having at its extremitya curved metallic strip, with a stud for engaging one or another of said perforations, at the under side of the cushion-supporting member for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination with a metallic saddleframe of a rear spring saddle-support, a rocking member on the forward part of the frame and carrying the vertically adjustable spindle is, which is provided with a holder and a rubber cushion mounted on said holder, the seat having the link-band connected at 1ts rear end and to the said rear spring saddle support and said seat having its forward portion adjustably confined and in bearing on said cushion, the saddle-post having the honzontally extended arm, and the saddle-frame adj ustably mounted thereon, substantlally as described.

9. The combination with a'tubular saddlesupporting arm having a slot of a saddle-frame having a clip or member which has a sl ding engagement with the said arm, and having a screw or projection which enters sa d slot, substantially as described.

10. In a velocipede saddle, a saddle-frame having at its rear portion an elevated metallic spring seat support incombinatlon with a saddle having at its rear portion a cantle formed of a spiral spring, whereby it 1s res1l1- ent at the rear lateral portions of the seat and capable of downward deflections thereat under pressure, and retraction, and a nonmetallic medium of connection connected to the rear central portion of the cantle and Saul rear elevated seat support, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. In a velocipede saddle, the seat or leather having at its rear portion a transversely extended section or cantle which is composed of a spiral spring, whereby the seat is capable at lateral portions thereof of downward deflections under pressure, and retraction, for the purpose set forth.

12. In a velocipede saddle, the combination with the rear support for the seat, of the seat or leather having at its rear portion a cantle, composed of a spiral spring and intermediately of its rear portion having the recess, 19, and theflexible band or link, engag ng the cantle where it traverses said recess, and connected to the said rear support, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 28th day of June, 

